The University of Texas at Austin
College of Engineering
IGERT - Indoor Environmental Quality
A Healthy Home is in Your Hands

health

Health Concerns

Who is at risk from indoor environmental pollutants?

When thinking about indoor environmental quality, it is important to consider what groups of people reside in the home. Scientists and engineers use the term 'susceptible groups', which just means groups of people who are most likely to be affected by certain aspects of their environment. People with small children should be most concerned about contaminants that affect development rather than those that affect groups of people not present in the household. Some common susceptible groups include:

Children

Why are children a susceptible group?

The Environmental Protection Agency states that children tend to be more influenced by their environment than adults, and there are three main concerns1:

  1. Children are still developing, and many of these developmental processes are very sensitive to environmental contaminants. From the time of conception to nearly adulthood, children are growing, not only in height and weight, but their organs and body systems are also growing and maturing. These can be very complicated processes, and unfortunately, some indoor contaminants can easily disrupt them. The indoor environment can begin to affect children even before they are born. Many indoor contaminants can be passed from the mother to the fetus, and these chemicals that also affect development can be especially dangerous.
  2. Children take in much more of the environment relative to their body weight, through eating, drinking, and breathing. The amount, also called the dose, of pollutants that children encounter can be much greater than the adults around them, because their bodies are much smaller. For example, if an adult were to eat an apple, it would only be a light snack, but if an infant were to eat that same apple, it would fill them up, because their stomachs are much smaller. This analogy goes the same for most things that enter our bodies, including indoor environmental contaminants.
  3. Children tend to come in contact with environmental contaminants more often than adults do, simply because of their daily habits. Children, especially those under two years olds, like to put everything in their mouths, and this can allow direct contact with many indoor contaminants. Children also spend much more time on the floor, where contaminants may settle or collect in dust, so children may have more close contact with theses chemicals.

How does the indoor environment affect children?

Unfortunately, most of the indoor environmental contaminants described on this website are harmful to children, and the related health effects tend to be worse in children than they are in adults. These chemicals have been linked to multiple negative health effects, including:

How can we reduce our children's exposure to indoor contaminants?

Each of the common pollutant pages on this website contain ways to reduce your exposure to that specific indoor contaminant. The Environmental Protection Agency also lists several simple tips to protect children from some specific environmental contaminants2:

  • Help children breathe easier
    • Don't smoke and don't let others smoke in your home or car.
    • Keep your home as clean as possible. Dust, mold, certain household pests, secondhand smoke, and pet dander can trigger asthma attacks and allergies.
  • Protect children from lead poisoning
    • Get kids tested for lead by their doctor or health care provider.
    • Test your home for lead paint hazards if it was built before 1978.
    • Wash children's hands before they eat; wash bottles, pacifiers, and toys often.
    • Wash floors and window sills to protect kids from dust and peeling paint contaminated with lead - especially in older homes.
    • Run cold water until it becomes as cold as it can get. Use only cold water for drinking, cooking, and making baby formula.
  • Keep pesticides and other toxic chemicals away from children
    • Store food and trash in closed containers to keep pests from coming into your home.
    • Use baits and traps when you can; place baits and traps where kids can't get them.
    • Read product labels and follow directions.
    • Store pesticides and toxic chemicals where kids can't reach them - never put them in other containers that kids can mistake for food or drink.
    • Keep children, toys, and pets away when pesticides are applied; don't let them play in fields, orchards, and gardens after pesticides have been used for at least the time recommended on the pesticide label.
    • Wash fruits and vegetables under running water before eating - peel them before eating, when possible.
  • Protect children from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning
    • Have fuel-burning appliances, furnace flues, and chimneys checked once a year.
    • Never use gas ovens or burners for heat; never use barbecues or grills indoors or in the garage.
    • Never sleep in rooms with unvented gas or kerosene space heaters.
    • Don't run cars or lawnmowers in the garage.
    • Install in sleeping areas a CO alarm that meets UL, IAS, or Canadian standards.
  • Safeguard children from high levels of radon
    • Test your home for radon with a home test kit.
    • Fix your home if your radon level is 4 pCi/L or higher. For help, call your state radon office or 1-800-SOS-RADON.

Where can I go for more information?

For more information on the effects of the indoor environment on children, contact:

References:

  1. Environmental Protection Agency: Children's Health Protection (2008), http://yosemite.epa.gov/ochp/ochpweb.nsf/content/homepage.htm, Accessed April 2008.
  2. Environmental Protection Agency: What You Can Do to Protect Children from Environmental Risks (2008), http://yosemite.epa.gov/ochp/ochpweb.nsf/content/tips.htm, Accessed April 2008.

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Asthma

What is Asthma?

Asthma is a disease that affects the airways to the lungs. These airways supply oxygen to the lungs when we breathe, and this oxygen is then delivered to the rest of the body. People with asthma have swollen, restricted airways, so less oxygen can be delivered to the lungs (Figure 1)1. Asthma is not a curable disease, so those that have it will have it for their entire lifetime, but it is manageable. Asthma, although sometimes mild, can be life-threatening, especially during an asthma attack2. An asthma attack can be triggered by many different factors, such as an illness or an environmental pollutant, and may even require hospitalization1. The American Lung Association describes three major events that occur during an asthma attack, all of which lead to reduced air flow2:

  1. Excess mucus is made in the airways,
  2. Airways become swollen
  3. Muscles in the airways tighten

Figure 1

How does the indoor environment affect people with asthma?

People with asthma tend to be more sensitive to environmental pollutants, especially those that are found in the air. The Environmental Protection Agency lists several environmental factors that commonly trigger asthma attacks, including3:

Although the direct cause of asthma is not yet known, correlations have been found between the development of asthma in children and indoor environmental pollutants. A study in Sweden found that children who were exposed to certain phthalates in house dust had a higher risk of developing asthma and other respiratory symptoms4. Further research is needed, though, to accurately identify the possible environmental causes of asthma.

Where can I get more information?

For more information on asthma and possible environmental effects, contact:

References:

  1. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (2006), Lung Diseases: Asthma, accessed April, 2008, http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Asthma/Asthma_WhatIs.html
  2. American Lung Association (2007), Asthma: Asthma Attacks, accessed April, 2008, http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=22583
  3. Environmental Protection Agency (2008), Environmental Asthma Triggers, accesses April 2008, http://www.epa.gov/iaq/asthma/triggers.html
  4. Bornehag, C.G., Sundell, J., Weschler, C.J., Sigsgaard, T., Lundgren, B., Hasselgren, M. and Hagerhed-Engman, L. (2004b) "The association between asthma and allergic symptoms in children and phthalates in house dust: a nested case-control study", Environ Health Perspect, 112, 1393-1397.

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Allergies

Allergies Fig 1What are Allergies?

Allergies are the result of an immune response to a substance that does not typically affect other people1. The immune system, normally designed to attack invading bacteria and viruses, falsely attacks a common substance, called an allergen, and causes an allergic response1. Specific cells called 'mast cells' bind the allergens and release chemical signals called histamines, which cause the symptoms typically associated with allergies4 (Figure 1). The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases describes several common symptoms of allergies, which are often difficult to distinguish from a common cold. They include:

  • Sneezing
  • Coughing
  • Runny nose
  • Itchy, watery eyes

How does the indoor environment affect people with allergies?

It is currently unknown what exactly causes people to have allergies, but it is believed to be the result of both genetic and environmental factors2. Correlations have been seen between certain chemicals, such as phthalates, and the development of allergies in children, but no direct evidence has yet been found3. For people who already have allergies, the indoor environment can trigger or worsen existing symptoms. The most common type of allergy is to pollen, also known as hay fever, but many indoor sources can also trigger an allergic response. Some typical allergens include1:

  • House dust mites
  • Mold
  • Pets
  • Insects and pests

Where can I get more information?

For more information on allergies and the possible environmental effects, contact:

References:

  1. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (2003), “Airborne Allergens�, http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/healthscience/healthtopics/allergicDiseases/PDF/airborne_allergens.pdf, accessed April 2008.
  2. National Institute of Health: Medline Plus, Allergies (2008) http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/allergy.html, Access April 2008.
  3. Bornehag, C.G., Sundell, J., Weschler, C.J., Sigsgaard, T., Lundgren, B., Hasselgren, M. and Hagerhed-Engman, L. (2004b) "The association between asthma and allergic symptoms in children and phthalates in house dust: a nested case-control study", Environ Health Perspect, 112, 1393-1397.

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Chemical Sensitivities

What are chemical sensitivities?

People with chemical sensitivities experience negative health responses to low levels of certain chemicals that typically do not cause responses to other people3. Chemical sensitivities are another source of indoor allergic responses, but unlike true allergens, these chemicals do not typically trigger an immune response1. It is still unknown and controversial on how these sensitivities arise, and although the symptoms have been medically accepted, chemical sensitivity has not yet been termed a "disease"3.

How does the indoor environment affect people with chemical sensitivities?

Many indoor contaminants can cause people with chemical sensitivities to experience adverse health effects3. People with existing allergies tend to be more sensitive to certain chemicals than people without allergies, and the symptoms of a chemical sensitivity are usually very similar to that of an allergic reaction. Some common chemicals and compounds that cause sensitivity include:

Where can I get more information?

For more information on chemical sensitivities and the possible environmental effects, contact:

References:

  1. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (2003), “Airborne Allergens�, http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/healthscience/healthtopics/allergicDiseases/PDF/airborne_allergens.pdf, Accessed April 2008
  2. Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet (CDFS-192-96), Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, accessed April 2008, http://ohioline.osu.edu/cd-fact/0192.html
  3. US Occupational Safety and Health Administration: Multiple Chemical Sensitivities http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/multiplechemicalsensitivities/index.html, Accessed April 2008.
  4. US Occupational Safety and Health Administration: Chemical Sampling Information for Ozone, http://www.osha.gov/dts/chemicalsampling/data/CH_259300.html, Accessed April 2008.

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